Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I had to really think about which recipe I'd like to be my first to share. I knew it'd be one of Annie's, but to choose only one is difficult. There are tons to drool over. Finally, I decided on these Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies because they're in demand -- my friends/taste testers, and I are in love with these! I made a few small alterations based on the ingredients I had on hand, but it's still a very tasty cookie. So, without further ado, here we go:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper -- you'll really need this or else the cookies won't turn out.

Combine the 8 ounces chopped chocolate and butter in a double boiler and heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the eggs, Sucanat and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 4-5 minutes (this is when the stand mixer really pays off!). Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture, slowly blending until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add in the remaining chopped chocolate with a spatula.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart (this is when an ice cream dough scoop helps! I used the medium one, but a smaller one would make more cookies).

Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are just slightly soft in the center and crackly on top, about 10-12 minutes (mine were perfect at 11 minutes).

Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and let cool on the baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container out of sight -- because really, if you see them, they'll be gone. They're that good!